I've got a Tivo HD and looking at buying a 2nd one (another Tivo HD, not the new higher end one though). How does the Tivo Desktop software (free version is all I have and all I really want) work with multiple Tivo's. Looks like I can put only a single MAK into the copy of Tivo Desktop I have now. What do I have to do to be able to use the single copy of Tivo Desktop on my single computer with both Tivo's, both for pulling programs off of the Tivo's as well as acting as a server for either of them.

Each of your TiVos has a name. Mine are Living Room and Bedroom. TiVo Desktop has a menu that lets you choose which TiVo you want to transfer too/from. If I choose Living Room I can see all of the recordings on the Living Room TiVo.

I've got a Tivo HD and looking at buying a 2nd one (another Tivo HD, not the new higher end one though). How does the Tivo Desktop software (free version is all I have and all I really want) work with multiple Tivo's. Looks like I can put only a single MAK into the copy of Tivo Desktop I have now. What do I have to do to be able to use the single copy of Tivo Desktop on my single computer with both Tivo's, both for pulling programs off of the Tivo's as well as acting as a server for either of them.

Thank you.

Your MAK is part of your Tivo Account, one MAK no matter how many
Tivo's you have listed on your Account.

Also another cool thing is that you can download 1 program from each tivo at the same time. I only have 2 hd tivos so I am not sure if you can do more or not at the same time. It does make getting shows off of the tivo twice as fast.

Each of your TiVos has a name. Mine are Living Room and Bedroom. TiVo Desktop has a menu that lets you choose which TiVo you want to transfer too/from. If I choose Living Room I can see all of the recordings on the Living Room TiVo.

where is this magic menu? my tivo desktop only can see one box
even though the 2 tivo's can see each other. thanks

One problem though, is if you have recorded the same show on different units (say 1 QAM & the other ATSC) and transfer them you get something like:
ShowName(1)
ShowName(2)
instead of something more flexible like
ShowName (ATSC Bedroom S3)
ShowName (QAM Office S3)
I wish you could specify a naming convention using Tivo Desktop as well as see the complete metadata (including recorded channel number) through Desktop.
I'm looking for someting like: ShowName-Season#Episode#-Channel-RecDate-TivoName.tivo
So for example,
Fringe-S01E01-X-Files-Remake-Chennal-212-01.01.2009.OfficeS3.tivo

Open the Tivo Server Properties dialog and click on the Access Control tab.
Do you see all of your Tivos listed?
If not, you might try changing your discovery protocol. Tivo Server Properties -> Network tab.

Also, you might try giving each of your Tivos a static IP address (if you haven't done so already).

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Can anyone advise if the file transfer times are quicker between two or more Tivos if they are both hard wired into the LAN?

I prefer to copy to PC to preserve the metadata, but if you're going to be watching the show almost right away, TiVo to TiVo is okay.

Wired connections are faster, but even with at least one of the TiVos involved using the TiVo wireless G adapter, it's fast enough that I can set up the copy (TiVo calls it a transfer, but the original is not erased), wait 2-5 minutes, and start watching, and even fast-forwarding through commercials it'll get all of the show to the second unit before I watch to the end.

Can you advise what software you use to watch the Tivo files on your PC?

I watch television on a television.

However, if I need to take a quick look at a .tivo file on the PC to make sure it's alright or if all I've got for a file name is like "Charlie Rose" and the date recorded and want to see who the guests were that night, I use the version of Windows Media Player that comes with XP, which is what I'm running on all of my PCs right now, although I did have to scrounge around on the internet for a free codec pack to install to get the sound to work.